Recipe based on “200 easy homemade cheese recipes”. Adjustments to the process made based on further research. I have had problems during research of pegging definite pH targets…I put these together for now and will continue to research. If anyone knows what they should be, please let me know. I have seen some specific conflicts, such as brine at 5.4 or press at 5.4?

At any rate, it is what it was and we will see. I plan on aging this for a year to be available next Christmas.

I actually repeated this make the next day, in order to have 2 separate makes with identical recipes, however I did cook the curds a bit longer for the 2nd make. I also made ricotta from the whey both days…so will be making lasagna soon!

1. Standardize milk to P/F ratio of 1.502. Warm milk to 94F and add culture once there.3. Let ripen 45 minutes, maintaining temp at 94F.4. Add calcium chloride dissolved in 1/4th cup water.5. Add lipase dissolved in 1/4th cup water. 6. Dilute rennet in 1/4th cup water and add after ripening period.7. Using 1.5 flocc multiplier cut curds after ___ minutes from the addition of rennet. (I did a double take when I set my timer…with a flocc time of 12 minutes, I had to set my timer for 6 minutes…)8. Cut curds initially to 1/4th inch and then using a whisk reduce to lentil sized pieces. 9. Let curds settle for 10 minutes. 10. Heat curds and whey to 130F fairly quickly…30 minutes would be optimum. Keep stirring to distribute heat. The curds should shrink to the size of rice grains by time to press.11. Once you have reached the desired temp, maintain temp until curds begin to clump together. The final curd needs to be dry, but not so dry that they do not hold together when pressed.12. Drain whey and curds into a cloth lined colander. Reserve the whey.13. Fill prepared (warmed and sterilized) cloth lined mold with curds and transfer to press. 14. Press under warm whey at 1 psi for 30 minutes. Flip and rewrap, press for another 30 minutes.15. Remove whey, flip, rewrap and press at 2 psi for 30 minutes. Flip, rewrap and press for another 30. 16. Flip, rewrap and press at 3 psi for 12-16 hours. 17. Place in cool (50F) brine for 30 hours, flipping occasionally. 18. Remove from brine and dry at room temp for a day or 2 until rind is dry to the touch.

Affinage: Age at 50F and 85-90% humidity for a minimum of 6-7 months. (I will be aging this for a year so it will be ready by next Christmas.) Flip cheese daily for the first couple weeks and then once weekly thereafter. After 3 months rub rind with olive oil and then again every 2-3 months. If mold appears on the rind, wipe off with a cloth dipped in a vinegar-salt solution.

Result of first out of brine: 2 pounds 0.9 ounces. Result of 2nd out of the brine: 2 pounds .7 ounces.

The make seemed to go well, given I was flying blind pH wise....I felt I should have cooked the curds a bit longer, so the 2nd make I did just that. Will post the resulting weight tomorrow once it is out of the brine.

If anyone knows what they should be, please let me know. I have seen some specific conflicts, such as brine at 5.4 or press at 5.4?

I thought I answered in your other thread? Pressing at 5.4 is not accurate. You settle curds under whey at 6.4, which is very similar to a light press. Parm curds should be a full hunk of matted cheese when you lift them up after the bottom rest.

Quote

drain curds and hoop: 6.1-6.2?

This is too low. That above range is for romano and some pecorinos. It doesn't get that low for parm. No biggie, will just make for a slightly different cheese.

Quote

12. Drain whey and curds into a cloth lined colander. Reserve the whey.

Skipping the settling step? Just for ease? Or are you subbing it with the under whey press later?

« Last Edit: December 20, 2012, 12:36:09 PM by linuxboy »

Logged

Taking an extended leave (until 2015) from the forums to build out my farm and dairy. Please e-mail or PM if you need anything.

Looks good! I have not experience to contribute, though. I have been wanting to make Parmesan, but I've yet to get lipase. Soon, though. I'll be watching to see if other people come with a little more clarity on pH targets...oh, and LB just did. Thanks!

Parm is a thermo cheese so you drain and hoop at a higher pH. Then the cheese will continue to develop acidity as it presses. That's why draining at 6.1-6.2 is too low. Pressing at 5.4 is WAY, WHEY, WAY, too low.

Parm is a thermo cheese so you drain and hoop at a higher pH. Then the cheese will continue to develop acidity as it presses. That's why draining at 6.1-6.2 is too low. Pressing at 5.4 is WAY, WHEY, WAY, too low.

Thanks Sailor! Since I my pH meter went belly up a couple weeks ago, I have been cheesing blind anyway, but it will be nice to have some targets in place for my next make.

What should be the pH of the cheese after brining? (after submitting this, I realized that the brining should stop/slow the acidifying...ergo, the post-brine pH should be 5.2-5.4?)

I thought I answered in your other thread? Pressing at 5.4 is not accurate. You settle curds under whey at 6.4, which is very similar to a light press. Parm curds should be a full hunk of matted cheese when you lift them up after the bottom rest.

So you did...and I totally forgot about that...thanks LB I will incorporate those into the recipe! (shakes head) Can't believe I totally blanked that out..........

This is too low. That above range is for romano and some pecorinos. It doesn't get that low for parm. No biggie, will just make for a slightly different cheese.

I was not able to measure the pH so I have no real idea what the pH was, however I was keeping a close watch on the behaviour of the curds, so I don't think I was too far off from the targets you provided by accident. The curds were almost like a cheddar mass when I placed them into the mold. Once I hit my target cook heat, I watched for the curds to start wanting to clump, which was my "target pH"...

12. Drain whey and curds into a cloth lined colander. Reserve the whey.

Skipping the settling step? Just for ease? Or are you subbing it with the under whey press later?

Subbing it with the under whey press....in one description of the process the curds are settled and undergo smoothing by weight in the whey...with a 2.5 gallon make pressing under whey was the only way I could think of to match that.

Seems like a lot, and given the size of the cheese may very well be too much, but the rind was incredibly tight and well knit, so maybe not. I made 2 cheeses, so I may just have to crack one open at the 6 month mark to check on progress : )

They are both resting comfortably in my cave...there has been a small loss of moisture (weight), so a couple of weeks ago I coated in olive oil and will continue to give them a coat every month or so.

Glad to hear this BB. I really want to do one of these cheeses as they are one of my favorites. Like to try a 6 pound and age it out to at least 6 months. Your success gives me added confidence. A cheese to you for your patience and help!! BTW I looked up that culture to get some and it says it's for pecorino? I have TA-61 on hand so I'll probably be using that.